Quick Facts
RLI internship · at a glance
Roles open and close throughout the year. Check RLI's careers portal for what is live today, and apply in the first week a role posts.
Before you applyWould your profile get you in?6 questions, under a minute. Compared with real interns who landed similar roles.Check my oddsAlso in this guide
Put real project work on your résumé, with the Attronica Financial Planning & Analysis and Private Company Valuation Externship or the Hydroficient IoT Cyber Defense Externship.
Explore all externships →All quick facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | RLI Workday board, Intern filter, linked from the internship page |
| Application window (2027–28) | Field underwriting, summer 2027: open now (Eagan, MN posted Sep 4; Bala Cynwyd, PA posted Sep 22, 2026), no closing date. Actuarial, summer 2027: closed (posted around Aug 2026). Peoria summer 2027 roles: expected Nov 2026 to Mar 2027. Actuarial, summer 2028: expected around Aug 2027 |
| Rolling? | Field roles roll until filled; Peoria roles within RLI's November to March window; actuarial is a short window of about six weeks |
| Eligibility | Current college students; open to all majors on the Bala Cynwyd posting, 3.0 GPA strongly preferred there; at least one CAS or SOA exam for actuarial; sponsorship not stated |
| Duration | Summer program from a June orientation to August; field roles also run part time in spring (10 to 15 hours a week) and 30+ hours in summer |
| Compensation | $20/hr general; $22/hr IT and underwriting; $25/hr legal; $22 to $28/hr actuarial by exams passed (RLI's published pay table) |
| Return offers | Not published; RLI says some internships continue through the year or lead to full-time jobs |
| Locations | Peoria, IL headquarters; field offices including Eagan, MN and Bala Cynwyd, PA; all interns can visit Peoria |
| # Programs | Field underwriting (2 open), actuarial (closed), Peoria home-office roles (last cycle: IT security, innovation management, reinsurance accounting) |
Last updated: October 2026
RLI runs three internship calendars, and for summer 2027 they're at three different stages. On October 5, 2026, its Workday job board had two field underwriting internships open, in Eagan, Minnesota and Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. The summer 2027 actuarial internship has already closed: it posted around August 2026 and was gone by early October. The Peoria headquarters roles haven't posted yet; RLI tells students to submit between November and March. In plain words: you apply during 2026 and early 2027, you intern in summer 2027.
RLI publishes its pay on every posting: $20 an hour for general internships, $22 for IT and underwriting, $25 for legal and $22 to $28 for actuarial, depending on exams passed. The summer program runs from a June orientation to August, and every intern can travel to Peoria to present to RLI leadership.
What Is an RLI Internship?
An RLI internship is a paid summer program at RLI Corp., a specialty property and casualty insurer headquartered on a 23-acre campus in Peoria, Illinois. Interns support underwriting, actuarial, IT, claims or other teams, attend educational and social events, meet the CEO and present to leadership. Founded in 1965, RLI had 1,193 associates across the US at the end of 2025. It's partly employee-owned. Its 2025 annual report records a 30th straight year of underwriting profit and 50 years of dividend increases, on $1.88 billion in revenue. RLI's postings say its internship was named a top 50 internship in the insurance industry.
When Do RLI Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?
RLI's tracks run on different lead times. The actuarial internship posts first: the summer 2027 posting appeared around August 2026 and had closed by October 4, and the summer 2026 posting was taken down on September 25, 2025. That's about 10 months before a June start, open for roughly six weeks. Field underwriting posted on September 4 and 22, 2026, for spring and summer 2027. The Peoria headquarters wave comes last: RLI's internship page says to submit for summer between November and March, about 3 to 7 months before the June orientation.
Some tracks have already closed. Two field underwriting internships, Eagan and Bala Cynwyd, are open right now for spring and summer 2027. The summer 2027 actuarial internship is closed, and the Peoria headquarters roles haven't posted yet.
Apply to the open field underwriting roles if Eagan or Bala Cynwyd works for you. Everyone else: polish your resume, line up references and, for actuarial in 2028, schedule your first CAS or SOA exam.
Peoria headquarters internships for summer 2027 are expected, based on RLI's own instruction to submit between November and March. Last cycle's roles included IT security, innovation management and reinsurance accounting. Apply early in the window.
The summer 2027 program runs from a June orientation to August, with a trip to Peoria for every intern to meet the cohort, meet the CEO and present to leadership.
The summer 2028 actuarial internship is expected to post, based on the last two cycles. It closed by late September both times, so apply the week it appears.
How to read this page: our dates come from tracking previous recruiting cycles and daily posting data. Treat them as informed estimates based on historical patterns, not confirmed dates. The company's official careers page is always the most current source. If a role is posted there, go by that, even if this page suggests the window hasn't opened yet.
Why You Must Apply the Week Applications Open
It depends on the track. Actuarial is a short window. The summer 2026 posting came down on September 25, 2025, and the summer 2027 posting, which appeared around August 2026, was closed by October 4. Both were open for roughly six weeks, so a student who waits for a fall deadline misses it. Peoria roles open in a window. RLI says to submit between November and March, with no published cutoff inside it; applying in November puts you in front of recruiters before most seats are spoken for. Field underwriting rolls. The Eagan and Bala Cynwyd postings carry no closing date and stay up until filled.
Which RLI Internship Programs Should You Target?
RLI posts each internship as its own Workday requisition. Here's where each summer 2027 track stood on October 5, 2026.
| Track | Status (Oct 5, 2026) | Pay (hourly) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Underwriting Intern, Spring/Summer 2027 (Eagan, MN) | Open, posted Sep 4, 2026 | $22 | Part time 10 to 15 hours a week in school, 30+ in summer |
| Underwriting Intern, Professional Services Group (Bala Cynwyd, PA) | Open, posted Sep 22, 2026 | $22 | Design and miscellaneous professional liability; open to all majors |
| Actuarial Intern, Summer 2027 (Peoria) | Closed; posted around Aug 2026 | $22 to $28 | At least one CAS or SOA exam passed; next posting expected around Aug 2027 |
| Peoria headquarters internships | Expected Nov 2026 to Mar 2027 | $20 to $25 by group | Last cycle: IT security, innovation management, reinsurance accounting |
Use the Intern filter on RLI's Workday board; the internship page explains the program.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
RLI's postings set requirements by track:
• Enrollment: current college students; prior-cycle postings require current enrollment at a college or university.
• Majors: the Bala Cynwyd underwriting posting is open to all majors; actuarial wants actuarial science, math, statistics, insurance or a technical field.
• GPA: the Bala Cynwyd posting states a strong preference for a 3.0 or higher; the Eagan posting doesn't name one.
• Actuarial exam: the actuarial internship requires at least one CAS or SOA exam passed, and pay rises with exams completed.
• Work authorization: none of the postings we read states a sponsorship policy, so ask the recruiter if you'll need one.
• Background check: after an accepted offer, a criminal check, education verification and reference check.
Is the 3.0 GPA a Hard Cutoff at RLI?
No. The one posting that mentions GPA calls 3.0 a strong preference, and the Eagan posting doesn't mention GPA. The hard requirement sits on the actuarial track: at least one CAS or SOA exam passed. For underwriting and the Peoria roles, RLI's own list of what it looks for is critical thinking, communication, independence, integrity and technical accuracy.
Profile Match · Extern Data
Could You Get In at RLI? Compare Your Profile
Based on 543 investment banking summer analysts at top investment banks from the classes of 2025 and 2026 (public LinkedIn profiles, aggregated). Six questions, under a minute.
Which summer are you applying for?
Recruiting timelines differ by class year, so we compare you with the right group.
Which group is your school closest to?
Firms recruit on campus in tiers. We match you against admits from schools like yours.
Is your major finance, economics, accounting or business?
Math and statistics count too. Major is not a hard filter, but it shifts how much your coursework has to prove.
How many internships, externships or research positions have you held so far?
Count anything with a real employer, mentor or principal investigator attached. Retail and food service do not count.
Has any of that experience been finance-related?
Banking, PE or VC, corporate finance, wealth management, equity research, accounting or consulting. Any size of firm counts.
Are you in a finance club, investment fund or case competition team?
Campus clubs are how most admits get their first deal and modelling reps.
Aggregated from public LinkedIn profiles of people who held the internship. No individual profile is shown. Read the full investment banking intern profile analysis and the cross-industry study of 2,500+ intern profiles.
What Skills Does RLI Look For, and How Do You Build Them?
Every RLI intern posting repeats the same five traits RLI says it looks for: critical thinking and analytic skills, strong communication, the ability to work independently, integrity and reliability, and technical accuracy. On top of that, underwriting roles ask for Microsoft Office including Excel, data analysis and research on accounts; actuarial asks for Excel and at least one passed exam, with work on rating plans and competitor rate analysis; and the prior-cycle innovation role asked for research and analysis on industry trends.
What RLI looks for in interns
Skills across 4 RLI intern & analyst job descriptions · live and prior-cycle postings, October 2026
Method: full-text reading of four RLI intern postings: the two live summer 2027 field underwriting postings plus the summer 2026 Actuarial and Innovation Management postings from job-board mirrors. The top five come from a block RLI repeats on every intern posting.
How Is Demand for Actuarial Interns Moving Right Now?
Actuarial intern postings · Sep vs Aug 2026
vs 43 in August
For RLI applicants: RLI's summer 2027 actuarial internship has already closed; its two field underwriting internships were open on October 5, 2026, and Peoria roles are expected between November 2026 and March 2027.
Daily US job-posting counts, Sep 1–30 vs Aug 1–31, 2026. Covers under half of US postings; shows direction, not market size.
Build These Skills Before You Apply
Each RLI skill maps to a remote Externship you can finish before the November window.
| Skill (from real JDs) | JD evidence | Externship that builds it |
|---|---|---|
| Account analysis and research | Underwriting: analyze and interpret data from various sources; prepare quotes | Attronica Financial Planning & Analysis and Private Company Valuation |
| Excel and rating analysis | Actuarial: experience in MS Excel; development and testing of rating plans | Yinan Zhao Investing & Financial Modeling |
| IT security | Prior-cycle IT Security Intern in Peoria | Hydroficient IoT Cyber Defense |
| Innovation and new products | Innovation Management: help with pilot programs for new concepts, products or services | Corporate Strategy Externship mentored by Eric Ries |
The security match is the most direct for Peoria applicants: RLI ran a dedicated IT Security intern last cycle, and a finished cyber defense project shows exactly that work.
What Is the RLI Application and Interview Process Like?
RLI prints its process in every intern posting:
1. Apply on Workday. Use the Intern filter, then apply to each posting separately so every track you want sees your resume.
2. Recruiter call. If you pass the initial review, someone from RLI's recruiting team phones you.
3. First-round interviews. You meet the team, in person or on video depending on circumstances.
4. Second round. Only some internships add one, in a format similar to the first.
5. Offer and background check. Once you accept, RLI runs a criminal check, education verification and a reference check.
Our behavioral interview guide shows how to prepare stories for team interviews.
What Students on Reddit Say
Most Reddit talk about RLI comes from Peoria locals and insurance professionals.
A Peoria local said RLI runs well-paid summer IT internships, including in its security department, and that the time to start asking about them is around November or December.
Asked whether anyone had worked at RLI, an insurance professional called it a very high-quality company with an excellent culture, and singled out its retirement benefits and employee stock ownership plan.
In a thread on breaking into underwriting, a commenter named RLI, with Hanover and Navigators, as a carrier that hires entry-level graduates and moves them into an underwriting track.
How Do You Stand Out for an RLI Internship?
Three moves. First, match your track to its calendar. Field underwriting is open now; Peoria opens from November; actuarial for summer 2028 is expected around August 2027 and closes fast. Second, for actuarial, pass an exam early. One CAS or SOA exam is required, and RLI's pay table rises with each exam, from $22 to $28 an hour. Third, know what makes RLI different. It has made an underwriting profit 30 years in a row and is partly employee-owned, and its postings open with "We're not like other insurance companies." A sentence on why a specialty insurer appeals to you fits that pitch. RLI doesn't publish an applicant count or a conversion rate; it says some internships continue through the year or lead to full-time jobs.
What Other Companies Should You Consider?
RLI competes for insurance students with specialty carriers and with the big Illinois insurers.
- MarkelSpecialty insurer with a structured summer internshipGuide →
- W. R. BerkleySpecialty property and casualty group with many operating unitsGuide →
- Philadelphia Insurance CompaniesSpecialty carrier based in Bala Cynwyd, the same town as RLI's Professional Services GroupGuide →
- State FarmIllinois insurer in nearby Bloomington with a large corporate intern programGuide →
- Cincinnati FinancialMidwest property and casualty carrier with actuarial and underwriting internshipsGuide →
- Kinsale InsuranceExcess and surplus specialty peer with a small Richmond intern classGuide →
Our insurance internships summer 2027 guide compares calendars across carriers, brokers and life insurers.
FAQ
Can I still apply for a summer 2026 RLI internship?
No. RLI's summer 2026 program ended in August. For summer 2027, the actuarial internship has already closed, but two field underwriting internships in Eagan, Minnesota and Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania were open on October 5, 2026. Peoria headquarters roles are expected between November 2026 and March 2027.
When do RLI summer 2027 applications open?
It depends on the track. The summer 2027 actuarial internship posted around August 2026 and closed by early October. Field underwriting posted in September 2026 and is open now. For the Peoria headquarters roles, RLI tells students to submit between November 2026 and March 2027.
How much do RLI interns make?
RLI publishes a pay table on every intern posting: $20 an hour for general internships, $22 for IT and underwriting, $25 for legal and $22 to $28 for actuarial, depending on the number of actuarial exams you've passed. Pay depends on the team you support and your education.
Do I need an actuarial exam for RLI's actuarial internship?
Yes. RLI's actuarial internship requires at least one exam passed with the Casualty Actuarial Society or the Society of Actuaries, and pay rises with each exam completed. The summer 2027 posting has closed, so if you're targeting summer 2028, pass an exam before the next posting, expected around August 2027.
Is there a GPA requirement for RLI internships?
There's no published hard cutoff. The Bala Cynwyd underwriting posting states a strong preference for a 3.0 GPA or higher, and the Eagan posting doesn't name a GPA. RLI's stated priorities are critical thinking, communication, independence, integrity and technical accuracy, so strong evidence of those can carry weight.
Where are RLI internships located?
Most are at RLI's headquarters campus in Peoria, Illinois. Field underwriting internships run in branch offices; for summer 2027 those are Eagan, Minnesota and Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. Every intern has the chance to travel to Peoria to meet interns from across the country and present to RLI leadership.
What is the RLI interview process?
After an initial review, RLI's recruiting team calls promising applicants. Next come first-round interviews with the team, in person or virtual, and some internships add a second round in the same format. An accepted offer is followed by a criminal, education and reference background check.
Can an RLI internship continue after the summer?
Sometimes. RLI says some internships continue through the school year or become a stepping stone to a full-time job. The field underwriting roles are built that way: 10 to 15 hours a week during the school year and 30 or more hours in summer. RLI doesn't publish a conversion rate.
Field underwriting at RLI is open now, and Peoria roles are expected from November. Use the weeks before then to build proof: a remote Externship gives you a finished project to talk about in RLI's team interviews.
About the Author
Bifei Wang has spent 17 years focused on human flow and the growth of young professionals, spanning international education, career training and coaching, and recruitment process outsourcing. Over 7 years at Extern, he has had one-on-one sessions with thousands of students exploring careers in consulting, finance, tech, marketing, and data, giving him a firsthand view of how the job market has shifted for early-career professionals and what it actually takes to break in.
